Jennifer Aniston's New Movie Role Brings Back Disturbing Memories of Painful Estrangement With Late Mother Nancy Dow – 'This Isn't Going To Be Easy'

Jennifer Aniston's new movie role brings back disturbing memories of her late mother's estrangement.
July 26 2025, Published 7:00 a.m. ET
Jennifer Aniston's newest role will bring back many disturbing memories of her late mother, Nancy Dow, but friends hope it will offer her insight and even bring her psychological release from the tumultuous relationship that continues to haunt her, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Friends alum, 56, is on board to produce and star in Jennette McCurdy's bestselling memoir, I'm Glad My Mom Died, about the former child star's toxic relationship with her abusive stage mother, who died in 2013.
Jen's Pain

Nancy Dow's memoir still haunts Jennifer Aniston as she tackles Jennette McCurdy's raw life story.
"This was a story that made Jen laugh and cry. She just had to do it," said an insider. "So she partnered up with Jennette and got Apple TV on board."
Aniston will play the mom, but friends warned: "Make no mistake, this role is not going to be easy for her. It's going to be painful and laborious."

Aniston's new role echoes her own painful past with her late mom.
As RadarOnline.com readers know, the Morning Show star and her mom were estranged right up until Dow’s death in 2016 at age 79 from complications related to a stroke.
An insider said: "Jen paid the medical bills and very little else. Their relationship was strained up until the end of Nancy's life.
"Jennifer puts on a brave face regarding her mom, but everyone knows she's still disturbed by how it went down. Nancy lived in crappy conditions at a badly kept apartment in Toluca Lake, and she died very unhappy, very alone and financially in trouble.
"It’s a great source of pain to Jen whether she admits it or not.
"Jen believes in the project, but it's still tough because she never got over her mom's so-called betrayal."
Opening Up Old Wounds


Apple TV joined forces with Jennette McCurdy and Jennifer Aniston for the movie.
The insider explained how Aniston never forgave her mother for the book her mom wrote about her after she made it big on Friends, called From Mother and Daughter to Friends: A Memoir.
"It was and is an embarrassment to Jen, and she's still sore about it," continued the insider.
"Jen doing a show called I'm Glad My Mom Died is going to open up a lot of old wounds – and her friends just hope she'll be able to handle it."